Scout Partners

Many — but not all — boats are required to meet a set of minimum manufacturing regulations established by the U.S. Coast Guard. In the U.S., NMMA Certification goes beyond the minimum USCG standards to ensure adherence to the American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) Standards.

All Scout models being built meet these rigorous certifications!

Manufacturers of NMMA Certified boats benefit from:

• Assurance their boats meet the industry standards for the United States (ABYC Standards)
• A detailed inspection and verification process
• Improved consumer confidence
• Increased brand respect
• Peace of mind knowing our customers are boating in the safest built boat possible

NMMA Boat & Yacht Certification helps Scout as a manufacturer to ensure our boats are built to applicable standards set by the American Boats & Yacht Council (ABYC), and to promote our manufacturing compliance to the public.

Scout submits applications for all models; each Scout model must be physically inspected by an NMMA inspector annually. To achieve certification, we must demonstrate that any possible variances found during the inspection process have been corrected. We then ensure that all production units are manufactured in compliance with the certified design.

For each Scout model that is certified compliant, the NMMA will provide a durable placard that is installed and displayed on each Scout produced. All Scouts are NMMA certified, which is a testament to the construction quality and safety standards achieved by our building process.

Buying a Scout boat with NMMA certification is important because you know that the boat was manufactured to meet an extensive set of requirements that go beyond the basic federal mandates. There are currently 58 ABYC standards grouped into 31 categories that NMMA uses to certify all vessels, including steering, power, and electrical systems, among many others. Additionally, we as a manufacturer are required to undergo routine inspections from third-party providers to ensure ongoing compliance. Data from the U.S. Coast Guard indicates that NMMA-certified boats are safer than non-certified. WATCH THE VIDEO

As a potential or existing owner/operator of a 26 foot or Scout boat, it is important to remember that ‘Yacht Certification’ does not include any required vessel capacity limits, and it is up to the boat owner to operate mindfully. The main reason for this lack of guidance is that the larger size of these vessels leads to maximum capacity calculations that are determined by “stability” rather than “displacement” as in smaller boats. Larger boats can typically fit more passengers than seating capacity, so the overall stability of the vessel is what matters most. There are often many tags displayed inside a vessel, but the ‘Yacht Certification’ plate provided by NMMA is one of the most important ones to look for.